Grangemouth Children’s Day still to get council help

Grangemouth Children's Day will receive financial support from Falkirk Council this year. Picture: Gary Hutchison (122467d)

James Trimble

Falkirk Council will no longer put its back into physically assisting organisers of a long standing children’s event ... but it will still stump up cash.

It had been reported the local authority was no longer providing support to Grangemouth Children’s Day, but it confirmed this week it would be making a grant available to the event’s committee.

The big day has grown to become a local institution over the last century but has struggled financially in the last few years, with organisers forced to carry out year-round fundraising in order to keep the event running.

A Falkirk Council spokesperson would not reveal figures, but stated there would be no change in the financial assistance provided for the event, just in the way it was delivered.

“For example, the council will no longer be organising construction of the stage for Children’s Day,” they said.

“Instead we will provide a grant which the committee can apply for and it will be up to them to organise the services required.”

Violet Cook, secretary of the Children’s Day committee, said: “We got a letter from the council stating they had stopped giving out help in kind, but they would give financial help.

“I’ve already been in touch with the company that constructed the stage for the council and they said there shouldn’t be any problems.”

Children’s Day has received substantial contributions from BP over the last couple of years with £10,000 donations in 2012 and 2013.

Violet said: “We hope that will continue this year. We certainly have our fingers crossed.”

Preparations for this year’s event, which takes place on Saturday, June 21, are well under way with 2014 Queen Elect Nicole Loney and her fellow Sacred Heart Primary School pupils getting ready for their royal roles.